


JSTOR and Chill

by Chash



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-18
Updated: 2015-11-18
Packaged: 2018-05-02 04:51:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5234831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chash/pseuds/Chash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clarke just wants one or two nights a week where her and Bellamy's apartment isn't full of people. She doesn't know how everyone else translated that to her and Bellamy hooking up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	JSTOR and Chill

**Author's Note:**

> From the tumblr prompt: "Our friends come over all the time and we never tell them to fuck off, but we really wanted to watch this shitty movie alone tonight and holy shit they think we want privacy to have sex." I also stole the title from tumblr, like a dirty thief.

Honestly, their friends are way, way too excited about the new apartment.

"We've finally got a place to hang out!" Jasper enthuses. "It's going to be awesome."

Bellamy and Clarke exchange a look. Clarke knows what he means; ever since she, Jasper, Monty, and Octavia graduated from college last year, it's been tough to hang out because everyone's housing situations are kind of terrible. Jasper and Monty are living in a tiny house with like ten people, which means that while they pay almost nothing in rent, they can't really entertain, and barely have anywhere to sleep. Octavia's living with two girls they went to college with and passive-aggressively hates both of them, but refuses to be the first one to leave the apartment, so not only can they not all meet at her place, but she wants to spend as little time there as possible. Clarke was living with her friend Wells and some of his law school friends, but he and Raven started dating, so he's moving into the weird co-op place where she lives, and Clarke had no desire to stay in the apartment without him. Since Bellamy's lease was also up, it just made sense for them to get a place together, and they actually found a pretty good deal on a two-bedroom apartment. It's exciting.

"It's going to be awesome unless it goes wrong," Monty says, waving his hand vaguely.

"That's true of literally everything," Bellamy says, finishing off his beer. It _will_ be nice to have a place to hang out that isn't a bar; it's too loud and the floor is kind of sticky and all the alcohol costs too much. "You're going to have to narrow it down."

"So, roommates can go a few different ways," Monty says. Ever since he got Abed in a _Which Community Character Are You_ quiz, he's been trying to break down tropes in their lives. It's mostly endearing. "Especially when you're sexuality-compatible."

"Uh, who says we're sexually compatible?" asks Bellamy, looking at Clarke. She shrugs.

"No, sexuality-compatible. I'm trying to make it happen. Instead of the whole stupid, like, men-and-women-can't-be-friends thing, which is so heteronormative. You guys have sexualities that mean you could be attracted to each other, which can complicate cohabitation."

"This conversation is going really terribly already," Bellamy says. "I'm getting another round."

Clarke glares at him as he leaves, mostly because he's abandoning her to this conversation alone. "Sexual compatibility is not a thing here, Monty. Bellamy and I get along; sex isn't a factor."

It's true, at this point. They bicker from time to time, but it's in a fun way. And they're comfortable with each other, which is what really makes her think it'll work. They have an easy, unspoken rapport, almost telepathic, and they're both as happy with quiet, chill nights at home as they are going out and getting wasted.

"I'm just saying, most likely scenarios here are that you guys start hating each other, causing a fracture in the group, or you, uh--start _really_ liking each other."

"Or we're awesome roommates who let you guys hang out and drink our booze," Clarke says.

"Okay, yes, but at some point, if you're sexuality-compatible with someone and like living with them, why _aren't_ you dating them?"

"We haven't even moved in together yet," Bellamy says, sliding Clarke a beer and sitting back next to her in the booth. "Let's stop predicting everything that's going to go wrong, okay? I want it to be a surprise."

"Cheers to that," says Clarke, and clinks their beers together.

*

The first month is really great, honestly. They spend most of that time slowly unpacking shit when they're both around, which is about half figuring out poster placement and half making fun of dorky things the other owns. They come up with a schedule for cooking, which Clarke has never had with any previous roommates, and they actually eat together most nights and watch weird shit on Netflix. It is, admittedly, kind of overly domestic. Which is bad, because Clarke thinks she's not supposed to be getting domestic with her college roommate's hot brother.

But that's short-lived, because once their stuff is unpacked, their friends are _always visiting_. The first two weeks after they declare their apartment ready for visitors, the only night they have to themselves is the last Sunday, and that's just because Raven's plans get cancelled, so Wells goes home to get laid instead of moping around on their couch.

"Jesus fucking Christ," says Bellamy, collapsing onto the couch with a groan. "It's like having a bunch of really needy dogs."

Clarke snorts, but she's also pretty worn out. It's--a lot, honestly. It feels like they're getting chaperoned, almost. Like no one trusts them to be alone. Which is totally unnecessary, because they're not like that. They're friends. And they live together, so if they wanted to hook up, they could definitely find time. 

Bellamy's head drops onto her shoulder. "I really don't want to do anything tonight. How do you feel about history documentaries?"

"That sounds like something I can fall asleep watching. In a good way."

"Philistine," he says. "This is Ken Burns, okay? Civil War. It's gonna be awesome. He's a master, Clarke."

"Uh huh," she says. "I'm just saying, I'm not, like, a total introvert? But I definitely need a lot more me-time than I've been getting."

"Do you want me to go watch in my room?" he offers, straightening up. "I can do it on the laptop if you want to be alone. I get that."

"No, you're fine. You don't count. And I want to see what your stupid documentary is about."

"It's not stupid, it's awesome," he says, scowling without any heat. "This is your country's history, Clarke."

If he's not going to lean on her, she's going to lean on him. She's tired and wants affection. "I'm joking. I've heard it's awesome. I'm excited. If I fall asleep, it's just because I'm tired, not because it's not cool."

"You really are worn out," he observes, surprised.

"Work was stressful this week. And I love my friends, but--I don't actually want to drink like I drank in college." 

And, honestly, she kind of missed him, which is--pathetic and worrying. But Bellamy one-on-one is different from Bellamy in company, quieter and less concerned with seeming cool and aloof. He tends to brother everyone when more people are around, acting more like the adult he thinks he's supposed to be than an actual friend.

But just the two of them? Just the two of them is really nice.

"That's some maturity," he says, amused. "I'm proud of you. As long as you don't fall asleep during this documentary. This is a _classic_ , Clarke. Do you know how many awards it won? It broke all sorts of records for PBS broadcasting."

"This is all really impressive. I'm worried it's not going to live up to the hype."

"God, you're a brat. Prepare to have your mind blown."

And, okay, it actually _is_ really good. Clarke has always liked history in a sort of passive way; she's interested in it, but it's never been one of her favorite subjects, never something she's sought out. But Bellamy is a history teacher and likes to just--rant. When he's drunk or frustrated or just feels like it, and it's fun. Similarly, she's never been much of a documentary person, but watching it with him, when he can't help interjecting with additional fun facts and trivia, and he's got his arm around her absently? That's pretty much great.

"Okay, we're not watching another," she announces. "Because I'm going to fall asleep!" she adds, before he can protest. "And I don't want to miss anything."

"I told you it was awesome," he says, smug, and she pats his leg.

"You're always right, I should always listen to you. We'll watch more tomorrow."

And she means it. She's excited. But the next day, Jasper and Monty show up because one of their housemates is having a party they don't want to be at, and the day after, Octavia has to rant about some guy at work she hates, and then Clarke has a thing on Wednesday and Bellamy has a thing on Thursday, and they all _always_ hang out on Friday, and by Saturday, she is ready to murder everyone she knows. Except Bellamy. Which is concerning in its own right, probably, but she is choosing to ignore it.

"Can we pretend we died?" he asks. "I have so much grading to do. Why didn't we get a smaller place?"

"We didn't realize what we were getting into." She roots around her bag for her phone and finds their group text, types out a quick message, and then flops back on the floor. "Okay, we're officially off the hook for hanging out. I've got your back."

"My knight in shining armor," Bellamy says, glancing at his own phone. There's a pause, and then he adds, "Uh, yeah, that's not going to do what you want."

"What do you mean?"

Her phone buzzes on the floor, and Clarke picks it up to find that Jasper has responded to her simple _our apartment is OFF LIMITS for tonight it's clarke and bellamy night_ message with a long string of exclamation points. Monty immediately adds _sexuality compatible_ and Octavia just sends as many question marks as Jasper sent exclamation points.

"Clarke and Bellamy night can be a platonic thing," Clarke grumbles. Then Bellamy responds to the group with, _Good job, you guys cracked our code, my tongue is in her ear right now._ "Thanks for clearing that up," she tells him, and he grins.

"I'm just cleaning up your mess. Come on, I can definitely watch Civil War and grade at the same time."

"Even with your tongue in my ear?"

"I'm really talented."

She climbs up onto the couch and settles in next to him. "Maybe if they think we're having sex, they'll leave us alone."

"It's so cute that you're optimistic like that," he says. "It's definitely going to get worse before it gets better."

*

"So, you and Bellamy, huh?"

"You guys _never leave us alone_ ," Clarke says, glaring at Raven across the table. "We're not hooking up, we just, occasionally, like to have a night to ourselves. We didn't actually get a new apartment so that everyone else could live there."

"Yeah, uh, you know you're talking like a couple unit, right? I'm just saying."

"I'm using the first-person-plural pronoun," she says. "I do it _all the time_."

" _A night to yourselves_ ," says Raven. "That's what I say when I want to get laid."

"No, it's not. You just say you're getting laid. You're not even a little subtle about it."

Raven considers this. "Point. But you're more repressed than me."

"I am not! I just have less casual sex. That's not about repression, it's about preference."

"Fine." She fixes Clarke with a serious look. "There's really nothing going on with you guys?"

"We are totally awesome housemates who are not banging," Clarke says firmly.

"That's a shame," Raven says, and sounds like she means it. 

Before Clarke has formulated a response, Octavia flops down in the open seat at their table. "Did I miss the discussion of my brother's sexual prowess?"

"Is that why you're late?" Clarke asks, slumping in her chair.

"Trust me, if you had a brother, you would not want to be involved in conversations about his sex life. I'm happy for you guys, but--"

"We're not dating," she says, firm. "We just like having nights off occasionally. At least one of you guys has been at our apartment almost every night since we got unpacked."

"That's not true," Raven says.

"This is only the second time it's been just the two of us, and that's because I told everyone to fuck off. The other time was when your dinner plans fell through and Wells canceled on us."

"Why aren't you dating my brother?" Octavia demands, cutting off Raven's response. She actually sounds offended.

"I don't know," Clarke says, caught off guard. "I'm not. Why aren't you dating Jasper?"

She knows, instantly, that it's the wrong response, and Octavia knows it too; her eyes light up. "One," she says, counting on her fingers, "I'm not into him like that. Two, he is or at least was once into _me_ like that, so if we dated and it didn't work out it would be awkward because he'd be more invested than I would be. Three, I'm working on going out with Lincoln, remember? Four, I think I'd destroy him, like, sexually. He is not prepared for this. Not to brag." She smirks at Clarke. "So, why aren't you dating my brother?"

Clarke has answers to the question, but they mostly focus on how it would be bad if it went wrong because they'd have to stop living together and maybe stop being friends and that would suck both logistically and emotionally.

But the truth is, there's exactly one reason she's not dating Bellamy Blake, and it's because he's never shown any sign of being into her.

"He's like--Anya," she settles on. "Totally awesome, but we've never been like that."

Raven and Octavia just look at each other. "So, you're too chicken to ask him out," Raven surmises.

"We just want to, at least once in a while, not be hosting guests," Clarke says, somewhat desperately. "That's not unreasonable!"

"Nope," Raven agrees, popping her _p_ decisively.

"It's just also kind of bullshit," Octavia adds, and the two of them high five.

*

On Monday, Bellamy sends out another group text: _I'm a teacher, I need at least two nights a week where I can do work. No one is coming here on Tuesdays and Sundays. Good talk._

Wells responds, _Those are good date nights!_ and Jasper asks, _Is your tongue still in her ear????_

"That went really well for you guys," says Octavia. She and Clarke are playing video games while Bellamy mutters about how he wants to strangle his sophomores, and a Clarke does _like_ this, too. She loves their friends. She just needs breaks. And boundaries.

Their round of Mario Kart ends, and Clarke texts, _yes, his tongue has been in my ear nonstop since saturday. awkward for work, but we're going for a world record_

Octavia shakes her head, and Clarke figures that's the end of it. Which is, of course, ridiculous and overly optimistic, because it's only two more rounds before Octavia says, "Hey, Bell, why aren't you dating Clarke?"

Clarke tenses, enough that Octavia notices, and resists the urge to murder her. Bellamy has a thousand reasons not to date Clarke, starting with the fact that she's five years younger than he is and was his baby sister's college roommate. She knows he's not going to date her; she has no desire to hear him explain why not.

But he's Bellamy, of course, and he'd never be that much of a dick. Or, not that kind of dick. So he just says, "I'm saving myself for Luke Perry," without missing a beat or looking up from his laptop.

"Clueless reference? Really?"

"It's a good movie."

The two of them bicker about that for five minutes, and then Octavia makes Bellamy google Luke Perry so they can find out what he's doing now, and determine if Bellamy has a shot with him. They decide he does, and that seems to be the end of it.

But of course, it's Octavia, so she texts the next day--Clarke and Bellamy day--and just says, _He didn't have a reason not to date you either_.

Clarke ignores the message in favor of unlocking the apartment door, on the grounds that she doesn't really want to get involved in a debate about how Bellamy was being _polite_.

He's at the stove, wearing a white t-shirt so thin it's practically see through and his favorite soft flannel pajama pants, the ones Octavia gave him for Christmas two years ago, that she actually had to commission from someone on Etsy, because she really wanted her brother to have pajamas printed with beefcake founding fathers on them. And Bellamy loves them.

Clarke would date him in roughly half a second, but she's not telling Octavia that.

"What's for dinner?" she asks, leaning over his shoulder.

Bellamy gives her a smile. "Hey, welcome home. Steak. Don't say I don't know how to show you a good time."

"Steak and history documentaries," she teases. "You're a real charmer."

"Thanks for noticing." He glances at her. "You think they're really going to leave us alone?"

"You think they're not?"

"Honestly, I can't decide. Either they're going to give us privacy because they think we're hooking up, or they're going to show up because they think we're hooking up and they're pissed we're not admitting it."

"I wish I could say I didn't think our friends would break into our apartment to try to prove we're dating, but they totally would."

"Lucky for us, all they'll find is us watching documentaries and eating steak," he says, and Clarke manages a weak smile.

"Lucky for us," she agrees. "Want a beer?"

*

It doesn't surprise Clarke that Tuesdays and Sundays become her favorite days. She loves all her friends, but it's nice to not have to worry about getting dressed or keeping anyone entertained. Even though she knows she doesn't _have_ to do anything special for anyone, there's the slight pressure of it, niggling at the back of her mind, her mother's voice telling her that she has guests and she shouldn't neglect them.

Sitting on the couch with her feet in Bellamy's lap, listening to documentaries while she sketches and he grades papers is just--easy. Uncomplicated. Relaxing.

Domestic and dangerous and completely, utterly stupid. But really nice.

They finish up Civil War and switch over to Planet Earth, which Bellamy hasn't seen despite being a huge nerd, and he limits that to Sundays only because he can't concentrate on other work while he does it. Their friends keep making insinuations about the two of them, and they keep dodging it with rolled eyes and sarcasm.

It's been a month when Octavia breaks. Or maybe someone else breaks, but Octavia's the one with their spare key, so she's the one who got sent in. Either way, Clarke startles at the sound of the door opening, and Octavia's voice calling, "You better be decent!"

They are, of course; Clarke is on the floor making a collage for Bellamy to use for his freshmen, and Bellamy is giving her periodic unhelpful feedback while he watches Planet Earth. It is completely and totally innocuous.

"Oh," Octavia says, stopping short. "You're--"

"Why would we have to be decent?" Bellamy grumbles. "It's our apartment and you're not supposed to be here, we can do whatever we want. Did you come up with an excuse for showing up, or were you just assuming we'd be making out and you wouldn't have to explain yourself?"

"I got locked out," Octavia says. "Seriously!"

"Uh huh. And you didn't call your roommates because--" He pauses, reconsiders. "Never mind, I just remembered your roommates. You need to move, but fine. Clarke, can you pause this? I'll go find my spare."

Clarke doesn't make eye contact with Octavia as she gets pauses Netflix.

"Oh my god, how are you guys _still in denial_ about this?" Octavia bursts out, once he's gone. "You know he's crazy about you, right? Like, totally. Stupidly. I don't even know how to deal with this. I thought you guys were just not telling us because you're stubborn, but you really have couples nights where you watch documentaries and pretend you don't want to make out. It's actually kind of cute. It's like you're already married. But--seriously, what the fuck."

Clarke opens her mouth a couple times, but she doesn't really have a response, and she finally settles on, "Planet Earth is amazing, though."

"You guys are so perfect for each other," Octavia says, and Clarke flushes when she realizes Bellamy's actually back, and she's telling both of them.

"Thanks for the input," he says. "Seriously, either move out our start talking to your roommates like an adult. You don't get to say we're ridiculous when you can't even talk to the people you live with when you get locked out." He bumps his shoulder against Clarke's. "We just like having a couple nights a week to veg out and watch Netflix. Don't read into it."

It's a good reminder for Clarke too, so she just smiles. "Feel free to tell everyone about all the debauchery."

"You guys are pathetic," says Octavia. "Thanks for the key, Bell."

Clarke expects it to be a little awkward once she leaves, but it's not like Bellamy doesn't get this all the time too. So he just says, "Probably good we got it over with," and flops back on the couch.

It's hard to feel particularly motivated on the collage when she can still hear Octavia saying Bellamy's crazy about her, so she tucks herself into his side, and smiles when his arm wraps around her.

*

"So, they really were being polite," Bellamy says, groaning as he collapses onto the couch next to Clarke. Jasper has apparently been convinced that, really, they're busy, and they don't want to play the new board game he just bought. "I'm kind of impressed. Didn't know they had it in them."

Clarke genuinely believes they're not even doing it on _purpose_. It's just that they apparently took date night seriously, but things can come up to interrupt documentary night.

"I think they really want us to make it," Clarke says. "It's cute. They're rooting for us."

Bellamy is quiet for just a beat too long, so when he says, "Maybe we should just start dating. So they'll leave us alone again," it doesn't quite sound like he's kidding. When Clarke glances over, she sees he's staring resolutely at the TV, slightly flushed.

She grins, can't help it. "That was really smooth."

"Yeah? I practiced." He lets out a huff and slides a little closer. "Does it make it less smooth if I was waiting for the last episode of Planet Earth to make a move? I wanted to finish first, in case you turned me down and it got awkward."

"Yeah, that's way less smooth. But so is practicing, so--"

He slides his hand under her jaw to kiss her, just for a second, like he's checking in. The quick press of his lips against hers, not nearly enough, and then he's pulling away again. 

She chases his mouth, and he laughs. "Uh, I was serious about finishing Planet Earth first. It's just five more minutes."

"And you couldn't have waited?" she teases, sliding her arms around him as she settles in closer. They're definitely going to date, she can be more obvious about the cuddling.

"Jasper showed up, he gave me such a good opening. And, seriously, it's just five more minutes."

"I would be pretty disappointed if we started dating and replaced documentary night with sex. I like documentary night."

"Me too." He clears his throat. "And I love O, but seriously, I'm pretty sure we can watch a documentary and have sex in the same night. That's really not hard."

"It just means we're going to have the best date nights ever," Clarke says, and Bellamy stares at her for a second, then deliberately turns off the TV. "Come on, there were--"

He pushes her back on the couch and crowds on top of her, mouth firm and insistent. Clarke knows Bellamy's been with a lot of girls, more than she has guys and girls put together, and he kisses like it's his favorite thing to do in the world, slow and wet and hot, his hand tangled in her hair, his thigh pressed between hers. She never wants to stop.

"It's on Netflix," he says, between kisses. "It's not going anywhere."

"Neither am I," she points out.

He drops his head against her shoulder, and she feels the curve of his smile against her neck, making her squirm happily. He wants her.

"Yeah, but you're a little more exciting."

"Just a little?"

He bites her shoulder, firmly enough to make it feel a little like a rebuke. "Planet Earth is awesome."

She laughs. "Yeah. I can't wait to see what we find next."

*

The decision not to tell anyone right away is about half practicality--if the fallout from the two of them potentially not working is limited to the two of them, it's probably better for their very entwined friend groups than if everyone is involved--and half curiosity. It took them so long to prove they weren't dating, they want to see when it'll take to make everyone realize they are. It's for science.

And, well, honestly, their friends are going to be so smug and over-invested in their relationship that Clarke has trouble getting really excited about tell them.

At least, until Bellamy wraps his arms around her and nuzzles her neck when she's making coffee, or makes her an actual packed lunch for work because he knows she forgets to eat, or crowds her up against the door and gets her off fast and hard before they go out to meet everyone, because while she doesn't want to deal with the immediate fallout of the dating announcement, she really wants to be in the "have you heard about how I have the best boyfriend ever" stage, because she _does_ , and she wants to tell literally the entire world about him.

They have an actual Wednesday to themselves, which is practically unheard of, when Octavia finds out they're together, storming in with her spare key and yelling, "I am going to murder them, how do I make it look like an accident? Gas leak? Murder/suicide?"

Clarke is naked on the floor with Bellamy's head between her legs, and there's a moment of sheer panic between them before Bellamy pulls back and yells, "Don't come in here, O!"

"It's Wednesday, it's not even dork night," she says. 

Clarke scrambles to pull the blanket off the couch and wrap it around herself while Bellamy wipes his mouth on his arm. It's very obvious they were hooking up, but at least she thinks it's hard to tell what, specifically, they were doing. It's the best they're going to be able to do on short notice.

"Yeah, but, trust me, you don't--" Bellamy starts, but it's too late.

Octavia stares at them for a full minute, taking them in: both shirtless, even if Clarke's covered herself up, lips swollen, Bellamy's hair a total mess.

"Oh my god, what is wrong with you guys?"

"I thought you wanted this," Bellamy says, looking around for his shirt and pulling it back on. Clarke spots her underwear and hopes Octavia doesn't. She could still be mostly dressed under here.

"Do you guys only have sex when everyone cancels their plans? Is that how it works? What the fuck?"

"It's every other second Wednesday of the month," Bellamy explains. "For ritual purposes."

"Today's the third Wednesday," Clarke says, smile way too fond. She's so gone for him.

"Shit, good thing O came in when she did. We nearly had totally unnecessary sex."

"What a disaster that would have been." She leans down to press her lips to his, just so Octavia won't think she doesn't want to. "I'm gonna go, uh--" She jerks her head toward her room. "I'll be back with clothes."

Bellamy squeezes her hand, and Octavia lets out a somewhat disgusted snort.

"I'm going to murder you, Bell," Clarke hears her saying as she heads into her room. "How long?"

She takes a little longer getting dressed than she has to, just so she can avoid the Blakes' conversation. By the time she gets back, they seem to have mostly wrapped up, because Bellamy is saying, "Yes, she knows how I feel, it's not just sex. Please tell me this conversation is over."

"If you just told me you had a girlfriend like a _normal person_ ," Octavia huffs.

"Sorry, O. We were working on it." He grins as Clarke comes back in and settles down next to him. "But it was kind of funny. We'd finally convinced you nothing was happening and then--"

"You're both assholes," she declares. "I can't believe _documentary night_ wasn't code for sex."

"No way," says Clarke, tucking herself more firmly into Bellamy's side. "We can have sex any time. Documentary night is _sacred_."

**Author's Note:**

> Bellamy POV [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4039033/chapters/12121469)!


End file.
